I'm satisfied with the book, but I haven't had the oportunity to try something out - we are going to visit New York at the end of the year.

Mr. Wolff in an unabashed New Yorker (although a transplant from Virginia) and his love shows through the work. Many useful suggestions, but one section makes me question the accuracy of the rest....

Mr. Wolff, on page 61, asserts: "The Earl of Oxford would probably be gratified to know all these centuries later his little plays dominate the summer theatre seen in the world's capital. Sure, the plays are published under the name of an actor from Stratford, but the passions and conflict resound just as the Earl wrote them."

I hope Mr. Wolff is pulling our collective leg, because if he really is an Oxfordian (someone who believes the 17th Earl of Oxford wrote the works of Shakespeare, instead of Shakespeare himself), I'm not sure I trust his judgement: not because he proposes that outlandish conspiracy theory (many have been suckered into that), but because introducing it into a guide book meant furthering his pet theory was more important than an unbiased, focused work.

That's why it gets 3 out of 5 stars.

I bought this for my upcoming trip to NY, and it has been very useful in showing how to see many great places at little to no cost...very worth its weight and price!

I used this book recently on a weekend trip to visit my friend in Manhattan. Not only did I eat very well for very little money but my foodie friend was shocked that I (the visiter) was showing her these amazing hidden gems! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to live well on a very low budget.

Even though I was going to NYC for just a few days, I found good info
in this book. Inside the cover was a weekly schedule for free entrance
to several museums. This was very handy.

Actually, to get more use from the book, one should be there a little
longer, or, better still, move there. Wonderful advice.

Sometimes you need to pay for stuff in order to get stuff.

Someone has to make money somewhere. There are great free things, such as a few of the plays - but don't expect broadway.

Getting on the Today show was free.
Central Park was free.
The Staten Island Ferry was free.

Other books give better travel advice than this book and don't limit themselves to just the free things.

Sometimes you need to pay for stuff in order to get stuff.

Someone has to make money somewhere. There are great free things, such as a few of the plays - but don't expect broadway.

Getting on the Today show was free.
Central Park was free.
The Staten Island Ferry was free.

Other books give better travel advice than this book and don't limit themselves to just the free things.

In planning for my first trip to NYC, I was faced with a veritable wall of guide books to pick from at my local library. Because I like to look for the offbeat when travelling, and because, well, I'm poor (hence, the library), this one caught my eye right away.

It had me at hello (or, more accurately, the introduction entitled "The Best Things In Life Are Free"). Wolff's prose has the perfect blend of knowledge and wit to really make the places he's writing about come alive, with solid historical insights where applicable (the sections on Coney Island were quick but fun reads, quite informative for a newbie like me) and plenty of reference materials to help you plan out your days (maps, addresses, phone numbers, hours of operation, etc.). Especially handy are the subway map and free events calendars printed on the inside front/back covers--efficient and helpful on the go.

I knew the real test would come when my host in Brooklyn took a look at it--she's studying museum education and having lived there her whole life, knows many of the nooks & crannies around town. When I started showing her the listings about places like the Forbes Galleries, the original Winnie the Pooh housed at the NY Public Library, and panorama of NYC at the Queens Museum of Art (all free or very cheap), her eyes lit up. And I knew we had a winner on our hands. If it could impress a city slicker like her, no wonder it had impressed a hayseed like me.

If you're looking for a book that can take you off the beaten tourist track, or even if you live in NYC and are looking for some fresh ideas for cheap entertainment, I really can't recommend this highly enough. Good tips, great resource, and a fun read.

this book has lots of inciteful tips that other books don't have. i highly recommmend it for anyone planning on going to NYC, to visit or moving there.

I bought this book even though I'm a native NYer. Mr. Wolff has some great suggestions. I wish the food section was bigger, but it's got some of my personal favs and he also pointed out a few that I have immediately fell in love with. He also missed a few that are similar to restaurants he talks about, ie for Vietnamese he mentions one, but I feel it's a runner-up to Pho Bang (best spring rolls and Pho in the city).

As for activities, we've tried a few free ones and that's where this book pays for itself. There are some terrific ideas listed here which you'd expect to pay for, but are free.

Great buy for NYer or visitor.